Twin gun mount



Feb, 2, 1943.

J. C. TROTTER TWIN GUN MOUNT 2 Shee'ts-Sheet l Filed Aug. 16. 1940 R m M0 m C. m J

Feb. 19%. J. c. TROTTER TWIN mm MOUNT Filed Aug. 16; 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 E11 atented Feb. 2, 1943 TWIN GUN MOUNT John C. Trotter, Williamsville, N. Y., assignor to Bell Aircraft Corporation, Bufialo, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application August 16, 1940, Serial No. 352,953

9 Claims.

The present invention relates to machine gun mounts and more particularly to a twin machine gun mounting device that will afford more accurate gunnery when only one of the two machine guns is in firing condition. While the invention finds particular application for use in airplanes or the like, it is of course apparent that it is not thus limited in scope.

In twin machine gun mounts, the resultant moment in azimuth is zero when both guns are firing. However, if the guns fire out of phase, the rate of fire is so rapid that the inertia of the machine guns and the mount damps out any oscillation about the azimuth pivot. On the other hand, if one of the guns should cease firing as in the case of a stoppage, the other gun has to be counter acted by the gunner.

An important object of this invention is to provide a mount for twin machine guns which will make it easier for the gunner to maintain the guns on the target.

Another object of this invention is to provide a mount for twin machine guns that will enable the pivot to swing to a position under the gun that is still in firing position, thereby reducing to zero the moment of the serviceable gun about the azimuth pivot.

A further object of this invention is to provide a mounting device of the type described that is simple in construction and operation and which is composed of relatively few working parts.

To achieve the above and additional objects the invention embraces the idea of mounting the azimuth pivot for the twin machine guns on a swinging link. The link is provided with a spring plunger which will enable the pivot to swing from its zero position when one of the guns stops firing to a position under the gun which is still in operating condition. This movemom; will thereby reduce to zero the moment of the operating gun about the azimuth pivot.

In the drawings in which like numerals indicate the same or similar parts:

Figure l is a view in side elevation of a twin machine gun mount equipped with my novel swinging link construction.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a view taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to Figure 1, I have shown a hollow vertical support I which carries at its upper end a pair of light weight cradles 2 and 3 on is slotted as shown at 6.

each of which is mounted for forward and rearward movement a machine gun 4. The cradles 2 and 3 are identical in construction and may be of the same type as those shown and described in my co-pending applications, Serial Nos. 334,932 and 336,286, filed May 12, 1940, and May 20, 1940, respectively. Of course other types of cradles can be used.

It will be seen that the support I has integrally formed therewith an oiIset portion 5 which A bracket indicated generally 1 is provided with upper and lower arms 8 and 9, and it can be seen that the arm 8 is adapted to be positioned in the slot 6. A spindle I0 extends through apertures in the arms 8 and 9 and into a bore H formed in the portion 5 for swingably mounting the bracket 7 to the ofiset portion 5. The spindle may be retained in position by any suitable means such as a pin 12, as clearly depicted in Figure 2.

As best shown in Figure 3 a U-shaped member I3 is carried by the portion 5 and is provided with three equally disposed apertures l5, l4 and I6, respectively. The bracket 1 is formed with a rectangular cutout portion I! in which is mounted a plunger rod I8. One end of the plunger rod carries a head I9 and the opposite end is formed with an operating button 20. As clearly shown in Figure 3, a helical spring 2! surrounds the rod l8 and tends to normally hold the head IS in the aperture l5. Or, in other words, the pivot point of the cradle is in the zero position when both guns are firing. However, should, for example, the gun mounted on the cradle 3 cease firing, the gunner merely pulls the operating button 20 against the action of the spring 2|, thereby moving the plunger head 19 out of the aperture [5 and swings the bracket under the cradle 2. He then releases the plunger head 20 and the spring will then force the head I9 into engagement with the aperture IB and thereby reduce to zero the moment of the gun still in operating condition about the azimuth pivot 1a.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details of construction herein set forth by way of illustration, as it is apparent that many changes and variations may be made therein, by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention, or exceeding the scope of appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device for minimizing the torque about the azimuth axis due to recoil, a support, a pair of cradles carried by the support, a machine gun mounted in each cradle, a pivot for the support, said pivot being adapted to swing to a desired position under each gun and spring actuated positive locking means to lock the pivot in the desired position.

2. In a device for minimizing the torque about the azimuth axis due to recoil, a support, a pair of cradles carried by the upper end of the support, a machine gun mounted for fore and aft movement in each cradle, a swingable bracket carried by the lower end of the support, a pivot attached to the bracket and means to swing said bracket to a position under the desired gun for.

reducing to zero the movement of the operating gun about the azimuth pivot.

3. In a device for minimizing the torque about the azimuth axis due to recoil, a support, a pair of cradles carried by the support, a machine gun.mounted in each cradle, a pivot for the support, and means to swing the pivot to a position under. each gun.

4., In a device for minimizing torque about the azimuth axis due to recoil, a support, a pair of cradles carried by the upper end of the support, a machine gun mounted in each cradle, a swingable bracket carried by the lower end of the support,.an adjustable pivot attached to the bracket, said pivot having positions of adjustment relative to said cradles, and spring actuated positive locking means to lock the pivot in one of said positions of adjustment.

5. A device for minimizing the torque about the azimuth axis due to recoilcomprising a support, a pair of cradles carried by the upper end of the support, amachine gun mounted in each support, a swingable bracket carried by the lower end of the support, an adjustable pivot means normally intermediate the cradles and movable to a position directly beneath either of the cradles and spring actuated positive locking means to lock the pivot in one of said positions.

6. A mount for twin guns comprising support means for carrying said guns, and means carried by said support means for selectively pivoting said support means about an axis passing transversely through one gun, an axis passing transversely through the other gun and an axis inter* mediate the guns.

7. A mount for twin guns comprising support means for carrying said guns, a pivot for said support means, and means carried by said supportmeans for selectively adjustably locating said pivot in a position in which its axis intersects one gun, in a position in which its axis intersects the other gun and in a position in which its axis lies between said guns.

8. A mount for twin guns comprising support means for carrying'said-guns, a pivot for said support means, andmeans carried by said support means for selectively adjustably locating said pivot in a position in which its axis intersects one gun, in a position in which its axis intersects theother gun and in a position in which its axis lies between said guns, and means for locking said pivot in adjusted positions.

9. In a device for minimizing the torque about the azimuth axis due to recoil, a'support, a pair of cradles carried by the upper portion of the support, means for mounting a machine gun for fore and aft movement in each cradle, a bracket adjustably carried by'the lower portion of the support, a pivot extending downwardly from the bracket and adjustable to a position under each gun and between said guns,'and means for selectively locking the bracket in one of said positions.

JOHN C. TRO'ITER. 

